Kingston, 25 October 2023. In an evening session and for the fifteenth consecutive year, the House of Representatives of the Jamaican Parliament adopted by consensus on Tuesday, October 24, a resolution condemning the US government's economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba, and denouncing the inclusion of the island on the illegal list of countries that sponsor terrorism, tabled by the Honourable Alando Terrelonge, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
The clear and concise text states among other matters that "the blockade (...) constitutes an act of unilateral aggression and represents a transgression of the right to peace, development, and security of a sovereign state, as well as a permanent threat to the stability of a member state of the United Nations", while "it represents a violation of international law and is contrary to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the rules governing international trade and freedom of navigation".
Following its presentation, legislators from both parliamentary parties, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) and the People's National Party (PNP), explained the various effects caused by this unilateral policy and reiterated the extraterritorial nature of the blockade, which prevents Cuba from establishing normal trade relations with third countries, including Jamaica, described as unjustified and without any basis whatsoever the inclusion of our country on the spurious list of State sponsors of terrorism and requested its removal from the list.
In supporting the draft, the parliamentarians expressed their admiration and respect for the Cuban people for their resistance and resilience; for their achievements in various social spheres; as well as for their cooperation with Jamaica, the Caribbean and other peoples of the world in various fields, including health and education.
The Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica, Fermín Quiñones Sánchez, attended as a special guest at this session of the legislative body, where the will of the Jamaican Parliament, government and people to accompany Cuba in the battle to put an end to the genocidal blockade policy was ratified.